diff --git a/drivers/mempool/dpaa2/dpaa2_hw_mempool.h b/drivers/mempool/dpaa2/dpaa2_hw_mempool.h
index 56b71bede..0971929ef 100644
--- a/drivers/mempool/dpaa2/dpaa2_hw_mempool.h
+++ b/drivers/mempool/dpaa2/dpaa2_hw_mempool.h
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 struct buf_pool_cfg {
 	void *addr;
 	/**< The address from where DPAA2 will carve out the buffers */
-	phys_addr_t    phys_addr;
+	rte_iova_t phys_addr;
 	/**< Physical address of the memory provided in addr */
 	uint32_t num;
 	/**< Number of buffers */
diff --git a/drivers/mempool/octeontx/octeontx_fpavf.c b/drivers/mempool/octeontx/octeontx_fpavf.c
index bab841ccd..3bc50f35d 100644
--- a/drivers/mempool/octeontx/octeontx_fpavf.c
+++ b/drivers/mempool/octeontx/octeontx_fpavf.c
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ octeontx_fpapf_pool_setup(unsigned int gpool, unsigned int buf_size,
 			  signed short buf_offset, unsigned int max_buf_count)
 {
 	void *memptr = NULL;
-	phys_addr_t phys_addr;
+	rte_iova_t phys_addr;
 	unsigned int memsz;
 	struct fpavf_res *fpa = NULL;
 	uint64_t reg;
diff --git a/drivers/mempool/octeontx/rte_mempool_octeontx.c b/drivers/mempool/octeontx/rte_mempool_octeontx.c
index 9f1c07f9d..e89355cdd 100644
--- a/drivers/mempool/octeontx/rte_mempool_octeontx.c
+++ b/drivers/mempool/octeontx/rte_mempool_octeontx.c
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ octeontx_fpavf_get_capabilities(const struct rte_mempool *mp,
 
 static int
 octeontx_fpavf_register_memory_area(const struct rte_mempool *mp,
-				    char *vaddr, phys_addr_t paddr, size_t len)
+				    char *vaddr, rte_iova_t paddr, size_t len)
 {
 	struct octeontx_pool_info *pool_info;
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/thunderx/nicvf_ethdev.h b/drivers/net/thunderx/nicvf_ethdev.h
index 3734430f5..e92c3242a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/thunderx/nicvf_ethdev.h
+++ b/drivers/net/thunderx/nicvf_ethdev.h
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ nicvf_mempool_phy_offset(struct rte_mempool *mp)
 
 	hdr = STAILQ_FIRST(&mp->mem_list);
 	assert(hdr != NULL);
-	return (uint64_t)((uintptr_t)hdr->addr - hdr->phys_addr);
+	return (uint64_t)((uintptr_t)hdr->addr - hdr->iova);
 }
 
 static inline uint16_t
diff --git a/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_ethdev.c
index 0fce5d953..82d59ca8c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/vmxnet3/vmxnet3_ethdev.c
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ vmxnet3_dev_setup_memreg(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 		Vmxnet3_MemoryRegion *mr = &hw->memRegs->memRegs[j];
 
 		mr->startPA =
-			(uintptr_t)STAILQ_FIRST(&mp[i]->mem_list)->phys_addr;
+			(uintptr_t)STAILQ_FIRST(&mp[i]->mem_list)->iova;
 		mr->length = STAILQ_FIRST(&mp[i]->mem_list)->len <= INT32_MAX ?
 			STAILQ_FIRST(&mp[i]->mem_list)->len : INT32_MAX;
 		mr->txQueueBits = index[i];
diff --git a/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool.c b/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool.c
index aad3294ed..7472f830c 100644
--- a/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool.c
+++ b/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool.c
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ static unsigned optimize_object_size(unsigned obj_size)
 }
 
 static void
-mempool_add_elem(struct rte_mempool *mp, void *obj, phys_addr_t physaddr)
+mempool_add_elem(struct rte_mempool *mp, void *obj, rte_iova_t iova)
 {
 	struct rte_mempool_objhdr *hdr;
 	struct rte_mempool_objtlr *tlr __rte_unused;
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ mempool_add_elem(struct rte_mempool *mp, void *obj, phys_addr_t physaddr)
 	/* set mempool ptr in header */
 	hdr = RTE_PTR_SUB(obj, sizeof(*hdr));
 	hdr->mp = mp;
-	hdr->physaddr = physaddr;
+	hdr->iova = iova;
 	STAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&mp->elt_list, hdr, next);
 	mp->populated_size++;
 
@@ -270,12 +270,12 @@ rte_mempool_xmem_size(uint32_t elt_num, size_t total_elt_sz, uint32_t pg_shift,
  */
 ssize_t
 rte_mempool_xmem_usage(__rte_unused void *vaddr, uint32_t elt_num,
-	size_t total_elt_sz, const phys_addr_t paddr[], uint32_t pg_num,
+	size_t total_elt_sz, const rte_iova_t iova[], uint32_t pg_num,
 	uint32_t pg_shift, unsigned int flags)
 {
 	uint32_t elt_cnt = 0;
-	phys_addr_t start, end;
-	uint32_t paddr_idx;
+	rte_iova_t start, end;
+	uint32_t iova_idx;
 	size_t pg_sz = (size_t)1 << pg_shift;
 	unsigned int mask;
 
@@ -284,15 +284,15 @@ rte_mempool_xmem_usage(__rte_unused void *vaddr, uint32_t elt_num,
 		/* alignment need one additional object */
 		elt_num += 1;
 
-	/* if paddr is NULL, assume contiguous memory */
-	if (paddr == NULL) {
+	/* if iova is NULL, assume contiguous memory */
+	if (iova == NULL) {
 		start = 0;
 		end = pg_sz * pg_num;
-		paddr_idx = pg_num;
+		iova_idx = pg_num;
 	} else {
-		start = paddr[0];
-		end = paddr[0] + pg_sz;
-		paddr_idx = 1;
+		start = iova[0];
+		end = iova[0] + pg_sz;
+		iova_idx = 1;
 	}
 	while (elt_cnt < elt_num) {
 
@@ -300,15 +300,15 @@ rte_mempool_xmem_usage(__rte_unused void *vaddr, uint32_t elt_num,
 			/* enough contiguous memory, add an object */
 			start += total_elt_sz;
 			elt_cnt++;
-		} else if (paddr_idx < pg_num) {
+		} else if (iova_idx < pg_num) {
 			/* no room to store one obj, add a page */
-			if (end == paddr[paddr_idx]) {
+			if (end == iova[iova_idx]) {
 				end += pg_sz;
 			} else {
-				start = paddr[paddr_idx];
-				end = paddr[paddr_idx] + pg_sz;
+				start = iova[iova_idx];
+				end = iova[iova_idx] + pg_sz;
 			}
-			paddr_idx++;
+			iova_idx++;
 
 		} else {
 			/* no more page, return how many elements fit */
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ rte_mempool_xmem_usage(__rte_unused void *vaddr, uint32_t elt_num,
 		}
 	}
 
-	return (size_t)paddr_idx << pg_shift;
+	return (size_t)iova_idx << pg_shift;
 }
 
 /* free a memchunk allocated with rte_memzone_reserve() */
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ rte_mempool_populate_phys(struct rte_mempool *mp, char *vaddr,
 
 	memhdr->mp = mp;
 	memhdr->addr = vaddr;
-	memhdr->phys_addr = paddr;
+	memhdr->iova = paddr;
 	memhdr->len = len;
 	memhdr->free_cb = free_cb;
 	memhdr->opaque = opaque;
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ rte_mempool_populate_virt(struct rte_mempool *mp, char *addr,
 	size_t len, size_t pg_sz, rte_mempool_memchunk_free_cb_t *free_cb,
 	void *opaque)
 {
-	phys_addr_t paddr;
+	rte_iova_t iova;
 	size_t off, phys_len;
 	int ret, cnt = 0;
 
@@ -503,24 +503,24 @@ rte_mempool_populate_virt(struct rte_mempool *mp, char *addr,
 	for (off = 0; off + pg_sz <= len &&
 		     mp->populated_size < mp->size; off += phys_len) {
 
-		paddr = rte_mem_virt2iova(addr + off);
+		iova = rte_mem_virt2iova(addr + off);
 
-		if (paddr == RTE_BAD_PHYS_ADDR && rte_eal_has_hugepages()) {
+		if (iova == RTE_BAD_IOVA && rte_eal_has_hugepages()) {
 			ret = -EINVAL;
 			goto fail;
 		}
 
 		/* populate with the largest group of contiguous pages */
 		for (phys_len = pg_sz; off + phys_len < len; phys_len += pg_sz) {
-			phys_addr_t paddr_tmp;
+			rte_iova_t iova_tmp;
 
-			paddr_tmp = rte_mem_virt2iova(addr + off + phys_len);
+			iova_tmp = rte_mem_virt2iova(addr + off + phys_len);
 
-			if (paddr_tmp != paddr + phys_len)
+			if (iova_tmp != iova + phys_len)
 				break;
 		}
 
-		ret = rte_mempool_populate_phys(mp, addr + off, paddr,
+		ret = rte_mempool_populate_phys(mp, addr + off, iova,
 			phys_len, free_cb, opaque);
 		if (ret < 0)
 			goto fail;
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ rte_mempool_populate_default(struct rte_mempool *mp)
 	char mz_name[RTE_MEMZONE_NAMESIZE];
 	const struct rte_memzone *mz;
 	size_t size, total_elt_sz, align, pg_sz, pg_shift;
-	phys_addr_t paddr;
+	rte_iova_t iova;
 	unsigned mz_id, n;
 	unsigned int mp_flags;
 	int ret;
@@ -599,13 +599,13 @@ rte_mempool_populate_default(struct rte_mempool *mp)
 		}
 
 		if (mp->flags & MEMPOOL_F_NO_PHYS_CONTIG)
-			paddr = RTE_BAD_PHYS_ADDR;
+			iova = RTE_BAD_IOVA;
 		else
-			paddr = mz->iova;
+			iova = mz->iova;
 
 		if (rte_eal_has_hugepages())
 			ret = rte_mempool_populate_phys(mp, mz->addr,
-				paddr, mz->len,
+				iova, mz->len,
 				rte_mempool_memchunk_mz_free,
 				(void *)(uintptr_t)mz);
 		else
@@ -958,7 +958,7 @@ rte_mempool_xmem_create(const char *name, unsigned n, unsigned elt_size,
 		rte_mempool_ctor_t *mp_init, void *mp_init_arg,
 		rte_mempool_obj_cb_t *obj_init, void *obj_init_arg,
 		int socket_id, unsigned flags, void *vaddr,
-		const phys_addr_t paddr[], uint32_t pg_num, uint32_t pg_shift)
+		const rte_iova_t iova[], uint32_t pg_num, uint32_t pg_shift)
 {
 	struct rte_mempool *mp = NULL;
 	int ret;
@@ -970,7 +970,7 @@ rte_mempool_xmem_create(const char *name, unsigned n, unsigned elt_size,
 			obj_init, obj_init_arg, socket_id, flags);
 
 	/* check that we have both VA and PA */
-	if (paddr == NULL) {
+	if (iova == NULL) {
 		rte_errno = EINVAL;
 		return NULL;
 	}
@@ -990,7 +990,7 @@ rte_mempool_xmem_create(const char *name, unsigned n, unsigned elt_size,
 	if (mp_init)
 		mp_init(mp, mp_init_arg);
 
-	ret = rte_mempool_populate_phys_tab(mp, vaddr, paddr, pg_num, pg_shift,
+	ret = rte_mempool_populate_phys_tab(mp, vaddr, iova, pg_num, pg_shift,
 		NULL, NULL);
 	if (ret < 0 || ret != (int)mp->size)
 		goto fail;
diff --git a/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool.h b/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool.h
index c69841ec4..41f8b2daf 100644
--- a/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool.h
+++ b/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool.h
@@ -157,7 +157,11 @@ struct rte_mempool_objsz {
 struct rte_mempool_objhdr {
 	STAILQ_ENTRY(rte_mempool_objhdr) next; /**< Next in list. */
 	struct rte_mempool *mp;          /**< The mempool owning the object. */
-	phys_addr_t physaddr;            /**< Physical address of the object. */
+	RTE_STD_C11
+	union {
+		rte_iova_t iova;         /**< IO address of the object. */
+		phys_addr_t physaddr;    /**< deprecated - Physical address of the object. */
+	};
 #ifdef RTE_LIBRTE_MEMPOOL_DEBUG
 	uint64_t cookie;                 /**< Debug cookie. */
 #endif
@@ -203,7 +207,11 @@ struct rte_mempool_memhdr {
 	STAILQ_ENTRY(rte_mempool_memhdr) next; /**< Next in list. */
 	struct rte_mempool *mp;  /**< The mempool owning the chunk */
 	void *addr;              /**< Virtual address of the chunk */
-	phys_addr_t phys_addr;   /**< Physical address of the chunk */
+	RTE_STD_C11
+	union {
+		rte_iova_t iova;       /**< IO address of the chunk */
+		phys_addr_t phys_addr; /**< Physical address of the chunk */
+	};
 	size_t len;              /**< length of the chunk */
 	rte_mempool_memchunk_free_cb_t *free_cb; /**< Free callback */
 	void *opaque;            /**< Argument passed to the free callback */
@@ -417,7 +425,7 @@ typedef int (*rte_mempool_get_capabilities_t)(const struct rte_mempool *mp,
  * Notify new memory area to mempool.
  */
 typedef int (*rte_mempool_ops_register_memory_area_t)
-(const struct rte_mempool *mp, char *vaddr, phys_addr_t paddr, size_t len);
+(const struct rte_mempool *mp, char *vaddr, rte_iova_t iova, size_t len);
 
 /** Structure defining mempool operations structure */
 struct rte_mempool_ops {
@@ -570,8 +578,8 @@ rte_mempool_ops_get_capabilities(const struct rte_mempool *mp,
  *   Pointer to the memory pool.
  * @param vaddr
  *   Pointer to the buffer virtual address.
- * @param paddr
- *   Pointer to the buffer physical address.
+ * @param iova
+ *   Pointer to the buffer IO address.
  * @param len
  *   Pool size.
  * @return
@@ -581,7 +589,7 @@ rte_mempool_ops_get_capabilities(const struct rte_mempool *mp,
  */
 int
 rte_mempool_ops_register_memory_area(const struct rte_mempool *mp,
-				char *vaddr, phys_addr_t paddr, size_t len);
+				char *vaddr, rte_iova_t iova, size_t len);
 
 /**
  * @internal wrapper for mempool_ops free callback.
@@ -797,11 +805,10 @@ rte_mempool_create(const char *name, unsigned n, unsigned elt_size,
  * @param vaddr
  *   Virtual address of the externally allocated memory buffer.
  *   Will be used to store mempool objects.
- * @param paddr
- *   Array of physical addresses of the pages that comprises given memory
- *   buffer.
+ * @param iova
+ *   Array of IO addresses of the pages that comprises given memory buffer.
  * @param pg_num
- *   Number of elements in the paddr array.
+ *   Number of elements in the iova array.
  * @param pg_shift
  *   LOG2 of the physical pages size.
  * @return
@@ -814,7 +821,7 @@ rte_mempool_xmem_create(const char *name, unsigned n, unsigned elt_size,
 		rte_mempool_ctor_t *mp_init, void *mp_init_arg,
 		rte_mempool_obj_cb_t *obj_init, void *obj_init_arg,
 		int socket_id, unsigned flags, void *vaddr,
-		const phys_addr_t paddr[], uint32_t pg_num, uint32_t pg_shift);
+		const rte_iova_t iova[], uint32_t pg_num, uint32_t pg_shift);
 
 /**
  * Create an empty mempool
@@ -1462,7 +1469,7 @@ rte_mempool_virt2phy(__rte_unused const struct rte_mempool *mp, const void *elt)
 	const struct rte_mempool_objhdr *hdr;
 	hdr = (const struct rte_mempool_objhdr *)RTE_PTR_SUB(elt,
 		sizeof(*hdr));
-	return hdr->physaddr;
+	return hdr->iova;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1573,11 +1580,10 @@ size_t rte_mempool_xmem_size(uint32_t elt_num, size_t total_elt_sz,
  * @param total_elt_sz
  *   The size of each element, including header and trailer, as returned
  *   by rte_mempool_calc_obj_size().
- * @param paddr
- *   Array of physical addresses of the pages that comprises given memory
- *   buffer.
+ * @param iova
+ *   Array of IO addresses of the pages that comprises given memory buffer.
  * @param pg_num
- *   Number of elements in the paddr array.
+ *   Number of elements in the iova array.
  * @param pg_shift
  *   LOG2 of the physical pages size.
  * @param flags
@@ -1589,7 +1595,7 @@ size_t rte_mempool_xmem_size(uint32_t elt_num, size_t total_elt_sz,
  *   is the actual number of elements that can be stored in that buffer.
  */
 ssize_t rte_mempool_xmem_usage(void *vaddr, uint32_t elt_num,
-	size_t total_elt_sz, const phys_addr_t paddr[], uint32_t pg_num,
+	size_t total_elt_sz, const rte_iova_t iova[], uint32_t pg_num,
 	uint32_t pg_shift, unsigned int flags);
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool_ops.c b/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool_ops.c
index a6b5f2002..92b9f90c4 100644
--- a/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool_ops.c
+++ b/lib/librte_mempool/rte_mempool_ops.c
@@ -142,14 +142,14 @@ rte_mempool_ops_get_capabilities(const struct rte_mempool *mp,
 /* wrapper to notify new memory area to external mempool */
 int
 rte_mempool_ops_register_memory_area(const struct rte_mempool *mp, char *vaddr,
-					phys_addr_t paddr, size_t len)
+					rte_iova_t iova, size_t len)
 {
 	struct rte_mempool_ops *ops;
 
 	ops = rte_mempool_get_ops(mp->ops_index);
 
 	RTE_FUNC_PTR_OR_ERR_RET(ops->register_memory_area, -ENOTSUP);
-	return ops->register_memory_area(mp, vaddr, paddr, len);
+	return ops->register_memory_area(mp, vaddr, iova, len);
 }
 
 /* sets mempool ops previously registered by rte_mempool_register_ops. */
